The rod and reel combinations leaned against the duffle bag filled with tackle boxes and other sundry equipment. The newly spooled monofilament glowed in the purple haze of the rising sun as the boat idled out across a mirrored reflection of God's rendition of Van Gogh's "The Starry Night". Layered and bundled from head to toe, anglers braved the elements with a passion, because in the "Natural State", March means big bass are on the feed.

While some anglers fish twelve months out of the year, most have been slumbering the weekends away, waiting for old man winter to head back north. Now as spring peaks around the corner, anglers head to the lakes in search of that elusive trophy bass. While most of the lakes and rivers in the state are going to offer some of the best bass fishing of the year in March, we selected two lakes where anglers maximize their chances at that bass of a lifetime while catching good numbers of quality fish.

SMALLMOUTH PICKS

Several lakes offer good smallmouth fishing in March. The numbers aren't usually what they are in April and May, but the quality is generally better in March. Fisheries like Greers Ferry and the Kings River offer quality smallmouth fishing this month, however we selected Bull Shoals as the best lake in the state to start your smallmouth hunt. The selection was based on the fact the lake is just full of smallmouth bass from three to five pounds and they are just moving up from their deep winter haunts to feed, according to long time guide and successful tournament angler, Rick Culver (www.wildernesstrail.com).

With 740 miles of shoreline and over 45,000 acres of water to fish, anglers have a multitude of possibilities on the lake. While the lake probably derives most of its notoriety from the dam that creates the blue ribbon trout fishery below on the White River in Cotter, the bass fishing remains tremendous. Acie Dickerson caught the 7lbs-5oz state record smallmouth from these waters in 1969, but plenty of anglers have knocked on the door since then. A couple other lucky anglers hauled the state record spotted bass and state record white bass from the fertile waters.

Most of the lake shoreline consists of limestone or pea gravel and rock piles and boulders on points and channel swings tend to concentrate the smallmouth early in the month of March. According to Culver, water temperature plays the most important role in bagging your best smallmouth in March. "Around 54 degrees, the crawfish come out of hibernation and the smallies break away from the shad they have been feeding on all winter and go in search of crawdads," said Culver. Early in the month the water temperature typically starts in the lower 50's but by the end of the month it's already in the upper 50's and the smallmouth get more aggressive.

The smallmouth generally first move into the mouths of the creeks and congregate in deep water around 35- to 45-feet deep off the end of secondary points. "During that time they are feeding on shad," Culver said. "Smoke or blue hue grubs are the best lures to trigger some bites. White Road Runners also work well and white or smoke tube baits will fool the smallies that are near the bottom."

By mid-March, the smallmouth move shallower opting to seek out crawfish on channel-swing banks and chunk rock points. They will still tend to hold in deeper water but will make forays into much shallower water in search of forage. Culver contends that several lures will trick aggressively feeding smallmouth this time of the month. "Suspending jerk baits such as Suspending Rogues or Lucky Craft Pointer 78DD or Staysees work well. Some crankbaits such as Wiggle Warts in colors V37 and V38 and Bandit crankbaits in crawdad colors also can be hot." However, he believes that tube baits in crawdad colors are probably the number one baits to choose.

By the end of the month smallmouth fishing is at a peak on Bull Shoals. The lake typically yields water temperatures near 60 degrees and according to Culver, "the crawdads are out and the big smallies are in!" Chunk rock and pea gravel banks will both hold smallmouth but the most productive areas will be where the bank transitions from one to the other throughout the lake. While most anglers still opt for tube baits in natural colors, Culver prefers a finesse jig like a Jewel spider jig in 5/16-ounce. "Most of the smallies will be between the bank and 30 feet of water and to catch a 4- to 5-pound smallmouth at this time of the month is not uncommon," Culver said.

The lake can be accessed from HWY 412/62 and then following HWY 7 in Leadhill, HWY 125 near Pyatt and Peel, or HWY 178 in Flippin and Midway on the south end of the lake. The daily bag limit for bass is six of any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass. Largemouth and smallmouth must be over 15-inches to keep and spotted bass must be over 12-inches to keep. More information on the lake and area attractions can be found on the web at www.agfc.com and www.bullshoalsboatdock.net or by calling 870-445-4424.

LARGEMOUTH PICKS

Some of the best largemouth bass fishing for the whole year occurs this month, and the state is full of lakes and rivers with catchable bass in March. Lake Monticello, Lake Columbia, The Arkansas River and adjacent impoundments, all have tremendous bass fisheries that thrive in March. However, the best place to hunt bass in March isn't a surprise to most fishermen in the state. Catching bass over five pounds comes with ease and the chance to catch a bass over ten pounds is readily available.

Millwood Lake, located just outside of Ashdown, offers the state's best in bass fishing, and biologists and anglers agree no other lake offers a better chance to catch the next state record than Millwood. Fishermen land bass over ten pounds with regularity in March. But the fishery is like no other in the state.

Made up of 30,000 surface acres formed by the flooding of three rivers, Millwood offers anglers shallow water, heavy tackle fishing at its finest. Fishing this lake isn't for the faint of heart. Literally covered from end to end with Cypress trees, Millwood more resembles fishing the Florida everglades then your typical Arkansas impoundment, due largely to a healthy supply of continuously stocked Florida-strain bass.

The lake boasts a trophy 16" minimum length limit and a three fish creel per person. Mike Siefert, owner and operator of Millwood Lake Guide Service (www.millwoodguideservice.com), grew up fishing the lake and has spent the last 40 years perfecting his techniques on the lake. Beyond that he's largely responsible for the navigability on the lake through his efforts with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Army Corps of Engineers to build GPS coordinated boat lanes through the prop destroying timber.

"I've literally lost count of the fish over ten pounds my clients and I have caught in March over the years," Siefert said. The lake is arguably one of the most fertile bodies of water in the state with a shad population that rivals any lake across the country. According to fisheries biologist, Les Claybrook, the oversized gizzard shad in the lake account for a large portion of the trophy bass' diets. "They really enjoy big meals. It isn't uncommon to see the tails of 10-inch shad sticking out of largemouth during electrofishing samples in March," Claybrook said.

"The best areas to target in March include cypress trees on shallow flats that warm very quickly on high blue-bird, bright sunlight penetration days," Siefert said. "These types of areas can warm as much as 10- to 15-degrees in a two day period." Areas with sudden depth changes can be effective especially with large stumps and laydowns on them.

Claybrook basically agreed with Siefert adding, "I believe Millwood bass get onto beds in late March, and the best fishing for the big bass is earlier. In early March, they like to hang around near the mouths of the creeks and sloughs, some of which are submerged, that run into the Little River and the Saline River. Later in the month, they're not as concentrated, but they tend to hang out along banks with heavy fallen trees and tree limbs."

Siefert recommends a number of techniques to suit any fisherman's style. Red Rat-L-Traps take countless bass over 6-pounds this time of year as do a variety of soft plastics like oversized tubes, lizards in pumpkinseed with chartreuse tails, and various jigs. Buzzbaits will effectively put bass in your boat if the conditions are just right and a War Eagle spinnerbait in chartreuse and white is standard equipment according to Siefert.

While fishing can be productive without a guide, you might consider a guide like Siefert to learn the lake and be guaranteed to find fish. For those not familiar with the lake and want to learn it on their own, the lake can be accessed on the northeast end from Paraloma Landing off Highway 234 and on the opposite side at Yarborough Village off Highway 317 and further west at the State Park up Highway 32. For more information visit the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission website at www.agfc.com or call Mike Siefert at 870-772-6840